Ohio Pawpaw Festival 2013

OHIO Pawpaw Festival September 13, 14, 15, -2013

Ohio Pawpaw

About the Festival

The Ohio Pawpaw Festival is a fun-filled and educational community event celebrating one of America’s largest native tree fruits, the Pawpaw (Asimina triloba). This three-day event highlights the rich history and future possibilities of the pawpaw through delectable foods, quality entertainment, unique arts, crafts and local businesses throughout southeastern Ohio and beyond. Special events at the festival include competitions for the best pawpaw, best pawpaw-related work of art, pawpaw cook-off, and the ever-popular pawpaw-eating contest. An energetic family environment is created by Kids Central, which provides a wide range of hands-on activities. The Main Stage is host to some of the best musicians and performers in our region. A full line-up of presentations and activities cover pawpaw growing, cooking, genetics, medical use and other topics related to sustainability.

The Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area Program. (www.ohiohillcountry.org) serves as the festival’s fiscal agent. The organization is dedicated to the identification, protection and appropriate development of the natural, cultural, recreational and economic resources that make up Appalachian Ohio to enhance the quality of life of the region’s residents and to welcome visitors to experience the area’s rich heritage, natural beauty and traditions.

What’s a pawpaw?

The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is North America’s largest native tree fruit. The fruit has a wonderful creamy texture and a tropical flavor. Southern Ohio is home to some of the largest and best tasting wild pawpaw patches on the planet. The pawpaw is also super nutritious and historically significant. Come wander the hills and discover why George Washington’s favorite dessert was chilled pawpaw.

Preheat the oven to 350o F, and grease a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. In the center of a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Into a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add and whisk the eggs. Whisk until fully mixed. Whisk and mix in the other wet ingredients: pulp, milk, and butter. Pour and scrape the batter into the baking dish and bake 50 minutes. To test for doneness, slide a toothpick into the center of the pudding, and it should come out clean. Like custard, if you jiggle the pan, the center should be set.

Serving: Cut the pudding into squares, and serve it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, hard sauce, or crème anglaise.

The NPR site has a vide on the pawpaw and a guy who is framing and marketing the fruit, it’s a nice little primer on the fruit.

Here’s the Purdue fact sheet on the Pawpaw, lots of solid info, of course, from the Purdue site

Ohio Department of Natural Resources(ODNR) has this to say, really good page —

Pawpaw is found throughout all of Ohio and most of the Eastern United States except for New England and much of Florida. It is a native understory or woodland edge tree, often found in moist places such as the bottoms of ravines, steep hillsides, and creek banks.

One tree often gives rise over the course of decades to a sprawling colony via its root system, which suckers several feet away from the parent tree.

This small tree is easily recognized by its large, tropical-looking foliage, and prized for its delicious fruits that mature in late summer. When found in the open, it may reach 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide as an individual tree. As a member of the Annona Family, it is related to other species of Pawpaw as well as other genera in this family (all tropical or subtropical in origin) and distantly related to the Magnolias and Tuliptree.

Asimina triloba

Asimina triloba_bark

Asimina triloba-flower

pawpaw leaf

pawpaw fruit

Asimina triloba_”Pawpaw”

From the Ohio State Extension page —

This native Ohio plant can be found in bloom in woodlands across central Ohio at this time. However, if one doesn’t know what to look for, it’s easy to miss this incredible flower. When the bud begins to swell, it’s a beautiful, velvety emerald green color. As it expands, the bud turns to a deep burgundy, and then opens into the burgundy-purplish rosette flower. However, they are held so tightly to the stems and so well camouflaged and that one has to look up when walking through the pawpaw patch.

This short understory tree grows to around 15-20′ tall and about as wide. It’s best planted in a woodland or at the edge of the woods. The large, droopy green leaves turn a nice golden yellow in the fall. The greenish-yellow fruits ripen to a brownish-black that many enjoy. The texture is somewhat like a very over-ripe banana, which is why others don’t enjoy! There must be at least 2 genetically different pawpaw trees for pollination to occur. Pawpaws grow in colonies, with one tree sending out many sprouts from the roots. This appears as many trees, but it’s genetically one tree. Plant another genetic strain in order to facilitate pollination.

How To Get To The Festival

The Ohio Pawpaw Festival is held at Lake Snowden near Albany, which is located about six miles west of Athens on US 50/SR 32. It is about 2 hours from Columbus, 3 hours from Cincinnati and 4 hours from Cleveland.

Traveling from the north
Take US 33 south into Athens. As you approach Athens, stay on US 33 , which merges with the bypass of US 50 W/SR 32 W. Follow US 50 W/SR 32 W heading toward Albany. Look for signs for Lake Snowden Drive, and turn right into the park area.

Traveling from the south
Take US 33 heading northwest toward Athens. As you enter Athens, look for signs for US 50 W/SR 32 W. There will be a BP gas station on the right, and another gas station on the left. Turn left here on Albany Road, which will put you on US 50 W/SR 32 W. Follow US 50 W/SR 32 W heading toward Albany. Look for signs for Lake Snowden Drive, and turn right into the park area.

Traveling from the east

Follow US 50/SR 32, heading west toward Athens. As you enter Athens, you will get on the bypass around the city (US 33/US 50 W/SR 32 W). Follow US 50 W/SR 32 W heading toward Albany. Look for signs for Lake Snowden Drive, and turn right into the park area.

Traveling from the west
Take US 50/SR 32 heading east toward Athens. About a mile or two south of Albany, turn left onto Lake Snowden Drive into the park.

Pawpaw SaisonThis pawpaw-infused Saison has all of the peppery, bubblegum spiciness that you’d expect from a Saison. Then when the pawpaw’s subtle pearlike, apricoty, mango-ish flavors and aromas blend with it, you have a flavorful, medium-bodied beer that is sure to please. ABV 8.5%

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